Builders Showcase

Early crowds strong for Vesta Home Show

By Amos Maki

The Vesta Home Show kicked off over the weekend, with large crowds turning out to explore six new homes in a gated Germantown community.

Monteleone, a new home by The Dave Moore Cos., is part of this year’s Vesta Home Show. This room was furnished by First Fruit Collection.

(Daily News/Andrew J. Breig)

Don Glays, executive director of the West Tennessee Home Builders Association, said attendance during the opening weekend of the show was strong.

“It’s probably the best opening we’ve had since 2007,” Glays said. “I like to talk to people when they come out, to see what their response is, and people are coming away saying it is an excellent show and they are really amazed at the designs and the efficiencies of these homes.”

The Vesta Home Show opened to the public Saturday, Nov. 9, and continues through Dec. 1 at St. James Place, a gated, 12-lot subdivision on Forest Hill-Irene Road in Germantown.

The association hosts the event to showcase premier builders, products, suppliers and technologies in the building industry.

Glays said 2,200 people visited the show over its first two days. The goal is to reach 20,000 visitors by the end of the month.

For builders and suppliers, the home show presents a unique opportunity for consumers to see their products in a real-world setting instead of in a showroom or marketing pamphlets.

“It’s a great marketing tool that shows our product to other potential customers,” said Myra Kissiere, a sales representative for Boral Bricks, which supplied bricks to all 12 homes in the community. “If you have your product where people can see it, you’re likely to have more sales.”

Clark, who built the 5,200-square-foot “Silverton” home, said the Vesta show has been a great way to introduce his work to a broader audience. After the homebuilding industry bottomed out following the economic downturn, Clark had focused more on renovations and additions, and he wanted people to know he was building new homes again.

The Maple, built by D&D Custom Homes, is one of six homes in St. James Place featured in the 2013 Vesta Home Show.

(Daily News/Andrew J. Breig)

“The market has been slow the last few years, and I wanted to let people know I’m out here building again, and the Vesta Home Show is a great way to do it,” Clark said. “It’s more than just building a home; it’s getting your name out there.”

Moore, who built the 5,866-square-foot, $949,000 “Monteleone” home, said he was attracted to St. James Place’s location and he knew crowds would be, too.

“It’s accessible to the whole Germantown area and you can drop down to (Tenn. 385) so you can get anywhere quickly,” Moore said. “It’s perfectly located, and it’s a beautiful subdivision. Saturday and Sunday, we were just overloaded. Turnout has been fabulous.”

One of the homes has already sold and potential buyers have expressed “significant” interest in the other homes, Glays said.

The houses, starting at 5,500 square feet, are on 1-acre lots and range between $825,000 and $949,000.

“In Germantown, Collierville, East Memphis, there are typically $20 (million) to $25 million sales a year and there’s not many homes in that $900,000 to $1 million range, so this fits the bill,” said Glays. “There’s a market for that.”

The Vesta show has become a venue for local builders to showcase sustainable, energy-efficient and affordable homes.

The home designs all incorporate Memphis Light, Gas and Water Division EcoBUILD standards, which can produce significant savings on energy costs.

Two of the homes are heated and cooled with geothermal technology. Geothermal heat pumps cut the utility bill by 30 to 50 percent and provide a federal income tax credit to the purchaser.

“You’re going to be able to heat these homes with a candle, as we like to say,” Glays said.

The six homes also display the latest design concepts, appliances, fixtures and furniture.

“It’s a great way to showcase your product,” Clark said. “They can touch it, feel it and see how you use it.”

The 2013 Vesta Home Show includes a partnership with Neighborhood Christian Centers of Memphis. NCC is managing Vesta volunteers throughout the show, including parking and ticket taking, and MAHBA will donate $1 from each general admission ticket sold to the faith-based organization. Forest Hill Baptist Church is donating parking space.

“They have been a joy to work with,” Glays said.

The St. James Place subdivision is on Forest Hill-Irene Road, between Poplar Pike and Winchester Road. Hours are Tuesdays through Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., and Sundays from 1 p.m. to 7 p.m.

Adult general admission is $12, with discounts for children and seniors. General admission tickets can be purchased at vestahomeshow.com.